A Place of Assembly (PA) Certificate of Operation is required for premises where 75 or more members of the public gather indoors or 200 or more gather outdoors, for religious, recreational, educational, political or social purposes, or to consume food or drink.

In order to have a legal Place of Assembly, certain Fire and Building Code requirements must be fulfilled.

The Department of Buildings performs the initial inspection for the first issuance of a Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation.

To request a Place of Assembly job folder, you can now go to the Records Room on the 3rd Floor of the Department of Buildings Manhattan Borough Office.

Above is an image of the new Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation.

Expiration of Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation and Annual Place of Assembly Permit

As of May 7, 2013, Place of Assembly Certificates of Operation do not expire. Within one year after the issue date of the Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation, a Place of Assembly must receive a Place of Assembly Permit from the New York City Fire Department. This Permit expires annually and will be renewed based on the results of the Fire Department’s annual inspections.

New or Amended Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation

For certificates issued pre-BIS (with a DOB job number fewer than 9 digits), a new Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation is required for:

A change to the zoning use group or the assembly occupancy group of the Place of Assembly space (A1-A5).

Any physical change to the establishment requiring an alteration permit from the Department of Buildings;

Any amendment to the plan for seating and other moveable furnishings; and/or

Any change made to the name of the establishment.

For all other certificates, a new Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation is required for A change to the zoning use group or the assembly occupancy group of the Place of Assembly space (A1-A5).

For all other certificates, an amended Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation is required for:

Any amendment to the plan for seating and other moveable furnishings; and/or

Any change made to the name of the establishment.

Change of Owner Name or Mailing Address

Corrections to the owner’s name and/or mailing address on a Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation may be made by:

For certificates issued pre-BIS (with a DOB job number fewer than 9 digits), using the Place Assembly Form (OP-45)